Mock Across America, Pick 34

You remember the mock draft we’ve been participating in, along with other NFL fan blogs across the country. We’ve recently completed the first round and are plowing forward with a second, where the Pats hold picks 34, 47 and 58. Anyway, here’s the action so far:

When stalwart OLB Mike Vrabel was steered to Kansas City as part of the Matt Cassel deal, he left behind a football lifetime of triumphs and a formidable hole in New England’s starting defense.

Vrabel came to the Pats at the onset of their fateful 2001 season and placed an indelible mark on the franchise over the next eight years with tough, versatile play and a certified knack for The Moment. Sadly, these things don’t last forever.

Still, his surprising departure left Pats fans wondering who would replace him in New England’s starting lineup. It was about that time that Vic Carucci of nfl.com claimed that the Pats were close to exchanging this very pick, #34, for Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers, the pass rushing all-pro and supposed “other shoe” in the Vrabel-Cassel deal.

Though Adam Schefter and others put an anchor on Carucci’s theory shortly afterward, many Pats fans still hold out hope for a dramatic pre-draft deal. Those that don’t wait for former rival Jason Taylor, who is said to favor New England over, say, hosting E! Weekend.

We here in the Patriots Daily war room are skeptical about Peppers, and think Taylor might be a nice fit for the last run of the Oughts, but we can’t deal in conjecture. The draft meter is running.

So Barwin is our pick. We like his athleticism and versatility; we like that he went from being the Bearcats’ best tight end to being their best defensive end in one season. We think that sounds like a quick study who is open to coaching, and that’s a good fit anywhere.

His speed (sub 4.5 40 at his workout), his toughness and mobility, his special teams prowess, and his potential for impact on both sides of the football – much like the man he’ll ostensibly “replace” – just push him over the top. We’ll overlook the one-hit-wonder concerns (just one season as a DE) – and the double take we did in the direction of Connecticut tackle William Beatty – for the chance at a smart, coachable athlete who has produced at two positions of need.